NAUA President NAUA welcomes all to the 3rd Summit. This is followed by a Summit Spiritual Welcome led by Rev. Manning.

“Spiritual Connections in a Virtual World”

In a world that is often polarized and isolating, human longing for connection is at heightened levels. This service affirms the power of virtual communities. It explores how spiritual connections in a virtual world can abate loneliness, propel resilience, create a sense of belonging and help us make meaning in the world and in our day-to-day lives. Join Us!

Rev. “Twinkle” Marie Manning is in her 5th year of serving the UU Congregation of Waterville, Maine. She is an interfaith minister, semi-retired award-winning television producer, former luxury-lifestyle magazine editor and radio show host. She is a retreat leader, podcaster and poet.

Does online religion work? Which religions and type of service is thriving? Does online anonymity  help or hinder religious experience? How is your expereince of online religion?

Terry Anderson, PhD is a professor emeritus from Athabasca university- Canada’s Online University. His theoretical work and empirical research focused on the role of human, content and machine interaction in online learning contexts.

🔹 “Reimagining Liberal Religion Without Losing Its Soul”

How do you evolve practices and messaging without dissolving identity or principles?

🔹 “From Institution to Movement: The Future of Liberal Religion”

Should liberal religion move away from congregations toward networks, communities, and ideas?

🔹 “Can Liberal Religion Compete in a Meaning Marketplace?”

Explore how people seek meaning today (wellness, self-help, activism) and where liberal religion fits.

🔹 “Clarity vs. Inclusivity: Can You Have Both?”

A discussion carrying on from an the July Academy session with Sunil Wijeyesekera and other members of the NAUA Academy Advisory Board.

Why do articulate formal principles for an organization? Do they help or hinder?

An overview of the current NAUA Principles process including the results from recent surveys of NAUA members.

Speakers – Terry Anderson and Lincoln Baxter

🔹 “What Do We Mean by ‘Spiritual’—and Do We Still Need the Word?”

Unpack the meaning of spirituality in a post-theistic, pluralistic context.

🔹 “Shared Practices Without Shared Beliefs”

How can people with radically different metaphysical views still practice and even ‘worship’ together meaningfully?

🔹 “Awe, Wonder, and Meaning Withand without God”

Explore secular pathways to transcendence and meaning.

🔹 “Speaking Across Belief: Conversations That Don’t Collapse”

Practical tools for dialogue between theists, atheists, and agnostics.

Panelists Bob Simoni, John Wunderlin and Rev Alex Holt.

(Interactive session on navigating moral disagreement without fragmentation)

🔹 “Is Everything Relative? Rebuilding Moral Confidence”

How can liberal religion articulate moral clarity without dogma?

🔹 “Human Dignity: A Foundation or a Preference?”

Examine whether core values can be grounded in something more than consensus.

🔹 Has liberal religion been defeated by a combination of ultra progressive ideologies and Christian Nationalism.?

🔹 “Disagreement Without Division: Practicing Tolerance in Real Time” (Circles Team?)

A panel discussion moderated by Sunil Wijeyesekera with authors Frank Casper, author of Used to Be UU: The Systematic Attack on UU Liberalism, and Republican Theocracy; David Cycleback author Against Illiberalism: A critique of illiberal trends ; DeAndra Beck PhD and other panel members.

WHAT IS LIBERAL RELIGION? – with Joyce Francis

We all struggle with explaining our liberal religion.  Rev. Bruce Bode, Minister Emeritus of Quimper Unitarian Universalist Fellowship in Port Townsend, WA, developed a 3-page handout for newcomers during his tenure, 2004-2018, and it continues to inspire us at our new Salish Sea Fellowship.  In it, he lays out the “Core Ideas of Religious Liberalism.”  I have come to think of it as the “bible” of our fellowship, and I will share it for your consideration and discussion.

Dr. Joyce Francis plays a leadership role in The Salish Sea Fellowship and serves on the NAUA Academy advisory board.

Science and Liberal Religion in the 21^st Century

One of the key motivations that helped develop liberal religion in the 19th and 20th centuries was the desire to accommodate the newly emerging knowledge of the physical world through science and the new critical scholarship about religious texts.

This presentation will outline a vision for how liberal religion and humanism could re-orient around scientific and empirical findings from newly emerging biological sciences, in four domains. First let’s embrace a radically revised view of our evolved human nature, as is being uncovered through brain science; second let’s revise our thinking about our place in the natural world as revealed through ecology. These, together with an understanding from social sciences of how human societies can flourish will lead us to more meaningful personal relationships and more effective approaches to social justice.

Mark Reimers is a neuroscientist at Michigan State University, and a humanist leader; he is also a member of the NAUA board.

Liberalism as a Higher Order Value feels especially relevant as we proceed with our discussions about introducing a set of NAUA principles.“Liberalism should be regarded not as one value among many, but as the higher-order value that allows people with deeply different political values to disagree productively and resolve conflict without coercion or force.”

Helen Pluckrose is an independent author and journalist living in London, England. For the past decade Helen has been publishing and leading programs and initiatives that challenge authoritarianism and illiberal actions – both on the right and on the left.

Join us as we celebrate last year’s challenges and successes, review past year’s financial documents, learn from committee chair reports, and elect our new Board of Trustees.

Stewardship is more than fundraising—it is an opportunity to express our values, strengthen our communities, and invest in the future of liberal religion. This session invites us to re-imagine stewardship as a shared responsibility rooted in generosity, participation, and purpose. We will explore new ways of thinking about financial support, volunteer engagement, and the use of our collective resources, while considering how congregations and organizations can create a culture in which everyone has an opportunity to contribute. Together, we will consider practical approaches for making stewardship less about meeting shortfalls and more about inviting people to help shape and sustain the future we envision.NAUA President Roy Dickerson

Speakers: Joanne Krettek and Roy Dickerson

🔹 “Guided Awe: Finding Transcendence in Everyday Life”

Short guided experiences + reflection (nature, music, memory, etc.)

🔹 “Embodied Presence (Even on Zoom)”

Gentle practices using breath, posture, and awareness to create grounding.

🔹 “Story as Sacred Practice”

Participants share short personal stories and reflect on meaning-making.

🔹 “Ritual Without Dogma: Creating Meaning Together”

Group co-creates a simple ritual in real time.

🔹 “Personal Spiritual Practices”

Rev Alex Holt, Rev Kenneth Marino, Joanne Kretteck, Thomas Vizzard and Mary Bennett will guide us through a number of religious experiences in a virtual environment.

The closing session of the conference will bring participants together to reflect on the ideas, questions, and insights explored throughout our time together and consider what they mean for the future of liberal religion. Through a combination of reflection, conversation, and shared inspiration, we will explore how reason, compassion, freedom of conscience, and openness to new knowledge can shape vibrant religious communities in a changing world. The session will invite participants to carry the spirit of inquiry and connection beyond the conference, renewing our commitment to building a liberal religion that welcomes diverse perspectives, embraces both science and spiritual exploration, and encourages each of us to live with greater hope, courage, and purpose.

Led by Joanne Krettek

With the Rev. Ms Denise D Tracy

As we imagine a faith for the future, what do we need to consider? What view gives us the best vantage point? Where do we look for a faith that empowers and blesses all of humanity as well as our earthly home?

The Rev Denise Tracy was ordained in 1974 at the General Assembly in New York City by the UU Church Of Bedford, Ma in a service sponsored by the UUWF. The ceremony had only women participants. She has served ministries on campus (Hartford, Ct 74-76), Parish (Greater Lansing, Mi 76-84) Denominational Executive (Central Midwest 84-92), Church Consultant (Alban Institute 92-07) Interim Ministry, (South Bend, IN. Cincinnati, Oh. and San Mateo, Ca.)  She has written 6 books. Four on storytelling in worship. Her most recent book WomanSpirit tells the story of the Feminist movement in the UUA from 1974-1994. She lives in Elgin, Il and was awarded the MLK Humanitarian Award from the City of Elgin for her work supporting Elgin becoming an International City of Peace.